Chris Harris qualifies as a Chartered Engineer

Chris Harris has become a Chartered Engineer (CEng), one of the most recognised international engineering qualifications.

Chris studied for the qualification over four years alongside his full-time role as Head of Engineering for Morrison Water Services (MWS). His achievement means he now is now registered by the Engineering Council for his experience and expertise.

He has already set his sights on becoming a Fellow of the Institution of Civil Engineers, the highest grade of membership. Chris is also keen to share his knowledge and experience with the next generation of engineers as a STEM Ambassador.

“I believe in giving back and I’d like to guide and support the next generation of engineers. The challenge of keeping our global temperature rise to less than two degrees and paving the way to a carbon net-zero future is vital and engineering has a key role to play in developing new materials and more sustainable technologies,” said Chris.

Becoming a CEng involved many hours of report writing, a Viva and communication exam as well as having evidence of continuous professional development and sound up-to-date knowledge and experience.

Completing the qualification during the pandemic was a challenge but he has been supported throughout by his mentor, Tom Murray, a graduate professional development mentor with Morrison Energy Services and wife, Kirsty.

Chris paid tribute to those who have helped him achieve his CEng status. He said: “I’d like to thank Tom for being my mentor for the last four years. He was always available and ready to adapt to suit the situation during the pandemic. Senior management have been really motivating and my wife Kirsty was also a huge support, encouraging me to put all my focus into revising, particularly during the final six weeks before my professional review day.”

Studying for the qualification provided an opportunity to reflect on what Chris has learned in his decade with MWS and more widely across the UK water sector in his 25-year career. He was responsible for introducing the use of drones to survey pipelines and winning the first contracts to use ice pigging to clean pipes, a process which has been developed further throughout the water industry.

As lead of the successful MWS Engineering Design Team, Chris is responsible for overseeing capital design and build projects in the north across several frameworks so no two days at work are ever the same.

Chris explains: “I provide support to the design teams and wider departments to ensure they’re able to solve engineering problems for our clients with sustainable solutions, managing risk from the start to the finish of a project.”

He added: “Becoming a Chartered Engineer is hard work but it makes you think about all your past achievements and how you can become an even better engineer in practice.  I’d encourage anyone who likes a challenge to think about it as part of developing in their career.”

Scott Beard, MWS Executive Director, said: “This is a fantastic achievement. It reflects the experience and expertise Chris brings to our clients’ projects every day through his work. I’m delighted to congratulate him on becoming a Chartered Engineer and wish him every success for the future.”

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